on a good night they say sometimes
sixty meteors fall
an invisible one streaked
past my window
sank into the dark
without a sound
could have been your heart breaking
could have been mine
but mine
would echo like an hollow tin box
heavy with melted dreams
maybe i heard though
it fell so quietly
i never knew it had gone
elephants have graveyards
memories do too
or so they say
i wonder where falling stars
go to die
--LSY, 2.51am
Chinese New Year's Eve
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Return of...the Camera!
My camera was, for a while, held captive by Another Party - actually, my father wanted to borrow it for something, which deprived me of its presence and the ability to take photographs (however bad) of the jewellery obsessions that have consumed me for the last month or so.
Given the photographs came out -really bad-, I somehow think perhaps the camera should have -stayed- with my father....
Anyhow, here is what I've been up to for the last few weeks:
Topmost - The Vlad Taltos bracelet**. Vlad is an fantasy/medieval assassin who has a lot of Pointy Objects, and he usually leaves a lot of dead people behind whenever he's working. He also wears a thick chain called Spellbreaker wrapped around his wrist and dresses normally in blacks and greys. I wanted to replicate Spellbreaker, hence the multiple chains - and of course, all the metal and spiky stones, and the grey/black bits.
Middle - What happens when I get lazy and refuse to fabricate any more lengths of chainmaille. This is the box weave I've been talking about in posts past; it got a bit tedious so I cheated and used larger jumprings and lengths of chain. Those are the matching earrings, the steel ones.
Bottom - The Surf and Guppies Summer Flirtation Bracelet, which is probably my favourite of the lot. Don't ask me why, those beads just looked like guppies and summer and surf and flirtation. The earrings are as colourful and mismatched as the beads, which is what I wanted.
A slightly better shot of the Surf and Guppies Summer Flirtation Bracelet. Yes, there were -worse-.
** Note: I should explain here that for some reason, a few friends and I got into a conversation about which literary characters I would and should run off with. I don't know why. It just happened (this is a common refrain.) The candidates in question were: John Constantine from the Hellblazer series, Vlad Taltos from the Dragaera novels, John Taylor from the Nightside series, and Hawk from the Hawk and Fisher stories. We decided on Vlad Taltos after more terrifying and scary reasons that should not see the light of day, but it got to where I decided to make a bracelet representing every single one of 'em. This is the first in the series; I'm already planning John Constantine and John Taylor.
Why yes, I -knew- I was insane. Didn't you?
Given the photographs came out -really bad-, I somehow think perhaps the camera should have -stayed- with my father....
Anyhow, here is what I've been up to for the last few weeks:
Topmost - The Vlad Taltos bracelet**. Vlad is an fantasy/medieval assassin who has a lot of Pointy Objects, and he usually leaves a lot of dead people behind whenever he's working. He also wears a thick chain called Spellbreaker wrapped around his wrist and dresses normally in blacks and greys. I wanted to replicate Spellbreaker, hence the multiple chains - and of course, all the metal and spiky stones, and the grey/black bits.
Middle - What happens when I get lazy and refuse to fabricate any more lengths of chainmaille. This is the box weave I've been talking about in posts past; it got a bit tedious so I cheated and used larger jumprings and lengths of chain. Those are the matching earrings, the steel ones.
Bottom - The Surf and Guppies Summer Flirtation Bracelet, which is probably my favourite of the lot. Don't ask me why, those beads just looked like guppies and summer and surf and flirtation. The earrings are as colourful and mismatched as the beads, which is what I wanted.
A slightly better shot of the Surf and Guppies Summer Flirtation Bracelet. Yes, there were -worse-.
** Note: I should explain here that for some reason, a few friends and I got into a conversation about which literary characters I would and should run off with. I don't know why. It just happened (this is a common refrain.) The candidates in question were: John Constantine from the Hellblazer series, Vlad Taltos from the Dragaera novels, John Taylor from the Nightside series, and Hawk from the Hawk and Fisher stories. We decided on Vlad Taltos after more terrifying and scary reasons that should not see the light of day, but it got to where I decided to make a bracelet representing every single one of 'em. This is the first in the series; I'm already planning John Constantine and John Taylor.
Why yes, I -knew- I was insane. Didn't you?
The Beads, Anvils, and Pointy Objects Compel You...
In my case at least, that's the truest statement of the month. A short summary of all the madness that's happened in between would read:
Found a store to get gorgeous, unique glass beads; bought more wire and got addicted to wirework as well as chainmaille; started sketching again; sang original songs for friends' album launch and murdered songs with nerves; may be recording demo song or two in March; sang with chamber choir for KL Performing Arts Centre Open Day and forgot lyrics; saw preview of buto performance at same and loved it; started fencing, LOVED it; hammered own pewter bowl at exhibition demonstration tonight, initialled it, and got to keep it; wound and cut own jumprings for the first time.
All that in one breath, and it'll be an approximate idea of how I feel.
And yes, I did indeed start fencing classes yesterday(and I can just hear some of my friends scream in horror, OH NO THE WORLD WILL END SHE HAS POINTY OBJECTS.) I've wanted to do it for years; it's a dream come true.
The pewter bowl hammering was just tonight - my colleague and I were at a convention centre appreciation dinner representing my workplace, and Selangor Pewter was giving people chances to hammer out either a shallow dish or a deeper bowl with a wooden mallet and dapping block. Scarily enough, yesterday I was just looking AT dapping blocks and reading up on what they were for, while researching wirework and making chains. How could anyone pass up such a perfect opportunity for stress relief? Carpe Opportuniem! (or however the Latin goes; I don't know Latin except for the phrase Winnie Ile Pu. Really.)
So now I have a beautiful pewter beading dish with my initials engraved at the bottom. Pewter! It's such expensive stuff to buy and here I got to whack at it AND keep it, all for free!
On the sketch front, since I promised Marcos that yes, I would be good and attempt to get back into drawing something every day like I used to (how's that for new year resolution), I present the following slightly mangled attempts:
Quick, rough, and dirty attempt at speed-sketching from a reference photo I loved. Didn't quite come out the way I wanted, but still better than I thought for five minutes or so.
Accompanied my colleague to the bank to run errands before work yesterday and sat in the car while she went to take care of stuff. Since I can't sketch buildings for nuts and they hate me anyway, I attempted to rectify this by drawing the Choco Boutique across the road. And ran out of ink, of course.
It is not the most polite thing in the world to sketch away when one's at a cocktail function and supposed to be meeting and mingling over pre-dinner appetizers, but those flower arrangements were just too cool to pass up. They look a lot better than this, I promise. The ikebana-like branches caught my attention tonight, so out came the sketchpad and inks.
And now, I attempt to finish packing so I can go home for Chinese New Year...yeesh, where did the time GO? *ahemcoughdistractedbycuttingjumpringscough*
Found a store to get gorgeous, unique glass beads; bought more wire and got addicted to wirework as well as chainmaille; started sketching again; sang original songs for friends' album launch and murdered songs with nerves; may be recording demo song or two in March; sang with chamber choir for KL Performing Arts Centre Open Day and forgot lyrics; saw preview of buto performance at same and loved it; started fencing, LOVED it; hammered own pewter bowl at exhibition demonstration tonight, initialled it, and got to keep it; wound and cut own jumprings for the first time.
All that in one breath, and it'll be an approximate idea of how I feel.
And yes, I did indeed start fencing classes yesterday(and I can just hear some of my friends scream in horror, OH NO THE WORLD WILL END SHE HAS POINTY OBJECTS.) I've wanted to do it for years; it's a dream come true.
The pewter bowl hammering was just tonight - my colleague and I were at a convention centre appreciation dinner representing my workplace, and Selangor Pewter was giving people chances to hammer out either a shallow dish or a deeper bowl with a wooden mallet and dapping block. Scarily enough, yesterday I was just looking AT dapping blocks and reading up on what they were for, while researching wirework and making chains. How could anyone pass up such a perfect opportunity for stress relief? Carpe Opportuniem! (or however the Latin goes; I don't know Latin except for the phrase Winnie Ile Pu. Really.)
So now I have a beautiful pewter beading dish with my initials engraved at the bottom. Pewter! It's such expensive stuff to buy and here I got to whack at it AND keep it, all for free!
On the sketch front, since I promised Marcos that yes, I would be good and attempt to get back into drawing something every day like I used to (how's that for new year resolution), I present the following slightly mangled attempts:
Quick, rough, and dirty attempt at speed-sketching from a reference photo I loved. Didn't quite come out the way I wanted, but still better than I thought for five minutes or so.
Accompanied my colleague to the bank to run errands before work yesterday and sat in the car while she went to take care of stuff. Since I can't sketch buildings for nuts and they hate me anyway, I attempted to rectify this by drawing the Choco Boutique across the road. And ran out of ink, of course.
It is not the most polite thing in the world to sketch away when one's at a cocktail function and supposed to be meeting and mingling over pre-dinner appetizers, but those flower arrangements were just too cool to pass up. They look a lot better than this, I promise. The ikebana-like branches caught my attention tonight, so out came the sketchpad and inks.
And now, I attempt to finish packing so I can go home for Chinese New Year...yeesh, where did the time GO? *ahemcoughdistractedbycuttingjumpringscough*
Saturday, January 12, 2008
The Six Step Program for Jewellery Addiction
1) Swear you'll get to bed at a decent hour, because sleep is important.
2) Find a pattern for chain maille that looks so easy, an evening could see it done.
3) Resist.
4) RESIST! YOU SHALL NOT BE MOVED, nay, not even budged from your resolve! A pillar of stone, you are, to temptation!
5) You steadfastly put away your tools, only to pick up an o-ring here, a jump-ring there, and the flower chain is so -pretty-, what about adding something here to turn it into a bracelet and OOH LOOK SHINY ORCHID CHAIN...
6) The pillar of stone resolve is revealed to be a pillar of salt, and is thus Budged with Great Haste.
Which explains why it's 5am, and I'm still up, really.
But I finished the flower chain bracelet I was making as a present! The pictures are lousy, but at 4.30am, I'd be lucky to recognize a Dalek when I see it hovering up the stairs with a laser trained on my brain.
The weave is called Flower Chain, a design by Aderamelech which I found at http://www.mailleartisans.org. It's really lovely and quite easy, even if it's laboriously time-consuming in spots. Or maybe I'm just slow.
Detail of the chain.
One more pair of earrings to go but that definitely can wait till after sleep, or the world will have an irate, plier-wielding zombie on the morrow, demanding o-rings in place of braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaainz.
2) Find a pattern for chain maille that looks so easy, an evening could see it done.
3) Resist.
4) RESIST! YOU SHALL NOT BE MOVED, nay, not even budged from your resolve! A pillar of stone, you are, to temptation!
5) You steadfastly put away your tools, only to pick up an o-ring here, a jump-ring there, and the flower chain is so -pretty-, what about adding something here to turn it into a bracelet and OOH LOOK SHINY ORCHID CHAIN...
6) The pillar of stone resolve is revealed to be a pillar of salt, and is thus Budged with Great Haste.
Which explains why it's 5am, and I'm still up, really.
But I finished the flower chain bracelet I was making as a present! The pictures are lousy, but at 4.30am, I'd be lucky to recognize a Dalek when I see it hovering up the stairs with a laser trained on my brain.
The weave is called Flower Chain, a design by Aderamelech which I found at http://www.mailleartisans.org. It's really lovely and quite easy, even if it's laboriously time-consuming in spots. Or maybe I'm just slow.
Detail of the chain.
One more pair of earrings to go but that definitely can wait till after sleep, or the world will have an irate, plier-wielding zombie on the morrow, demanding o-rings in place of braaaaaaaaaaaaaaaainz.
Friday, January 11, 2008
Addicted-to-Jewellery -Making Anonymous
People get addicted to cocaine, alcohol, video games, and reality TV shows, among other things.
I, on the other hand, get addicted to making jewellery. (Well, and books and art but that's another story...)
And this just after one class today for proper wirework techniques. Cue the Doom Song from Invader Zim here. I came home from music rehearsals having made two bracelets at class, and proceeded to make two pairs of earrings, just to get rid of all the caffeinated energy from dinner.
This may also be the time to mention that I started working on chainmail again - box weave, this variation is called. It's gorgeous. It's time-consuming. It's addictive.
It's sleep-depriving.
So anyway, while I'm at it with the jewellery, here are some photographs from my vacation over Christmas in Cameron Highlands. All I took were flowers, really, and then the camera battery died. No, I forgot to bring my charger, yet again! (See, Marcos? It's fate! Always happens when there's something interesting to photograph!)
Bird of Paradise. The colours were irresistable.
They called this one a Slipper Plant. It does actually look like one, from that angle.
Experiment at Art Photographing a pitcher plant. There's only so much one can do with an auto-focus digital cam though...
I -think- these are miniature pineapples. I really don't know; they were in the cacti section of the flower garden we visited, of all things. They might be some form of exotic cacti for all I can tell.
And now, for the fruit of my labours, to put it pompously:
These are for a friend of mine as a thank you present. The picture doesn't do the lovely sequins justice at all, they're a lot prettier than that.
Augh, this one is pure disaster but I needed a photographic record in case I have to replicate it someday. I've no idea why it was so much harder to take either; conditions were the same as earlier.
When I finish the chainmail, I'll attempt to get a good picture and post it up.
...Oh lord it's 4am. Why am I still not sleepy? Argh!
I, on the other hand, get addicted to making jewellery. (Well, and books and art but that's another story...)
And this just after one class today for proper wirework techniques. Cue the Doom Song from Invader Zim here. I came home from music rehearsals having made two bracelets at class, and proceeded to make two pairs of earrings, just to get rid of all the caffeinated energy from dinner.
This may also be the time to mention that I started working on chainmail again - box weave, this variation is called. It's gorgeous. It's time-consuming. It's addictive.
It's sleep-depriving.
So anyway, while I'm at it with the jewellery, here are some photographs from my vacation over Christmas in Cameron Highlands. All I took were flowers, really, and then the camera battery died. No, I forgot to bring my charger, yet again! (See, Marcos? It's fate! Always happens when there's something interesting to photograph!)
Bird of Paradise. The colours were irresistable.
They called this one a Slipper Plant. It does actually look like one, from that angle.
Experiment at Art Photographing a pitcher plant. There's only so much one can do with an auto-focus digital cam though...
I -think- these are miniature pineapples. I really don't know; they were in the cacti section of the flower garden we visited, of all things. They might be some form of exotic cacti for all I can tell.
And now, for the fruit of my labours, to put it pompously:
These are for a friend of mine as a thank you present. The picture doesn't do the lovely sequins justice at all, they're a lot prettier than that.
Augh, this one is pure disaster but I needed a photographic record in case I have to replicate it someday. I've no idea why it was so much harder to take either; conditions were the same as earlier.
When I finish the chainmail, I'll attempt to get a good picture and post it up.
...Oh lord it's 4am. Why am I still not sleepy? Argh!
Friday, January 04, 2008
Don't Draw Before Bed...
...it mucks up your sleep.
As in, it's 3.20am, and I'm still up. Why? Because the Sketching Itch is worse than the infamous Seven Year Itch, and it demands Immediate Attention. It also is the perfect way to ruin an even more perfect little sketch, but more on that later.
And more on the really mad day that transpired too, only later as well.
I don't know why this kept insisting it wanted to be called Ave Maria. The fact that I was listening to the Hitman soundtrack at the time might explain it.
The perfect way to ruin the perfect sketch. Gah! I need a lot more time in the School of Leaving Things Alone, Grasshopper.
...And -now- it's time for bed.
As in, it's 3.20am, and I'm still up. Why? Because the Sketching Itch is worse than the infamous Seven Year Itch, and it demands Immediate Attention. It also is the perfect way to ruin an even more perfect little sketch, but more on that later.
And more on the really mad day that transpired too, only later as well.
I don't know why this kept insisting it wanted to be called Ave Maria. The fact that I was listening to the Hitman soundtrack at the time might explain it.
The perfect way to ruin the perfect sketch. Gah! I need a lot more time in the School of Leaving Things Alone, Grasshopper.
...And -now- it's time for bed.
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Ring Them Bells St. Catherine...
Ring them bells St. Catherine
From the top of the room,
Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom
Oh the lines are long
And the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong...
I could never remember any other verse to this song when I was younger (Bob Dylan, and I heard it covered by First Call eons ago). Ring them bells St. Catherine - maybe it was just the resonance of the syllables. Either way, it was an achingly beautiful refrain I never managed to quite forget, and now some fifteen years later, I remember it again. Driftwood of the mind, ripples and reflections of truths seen dimly in mirrors.
Appropriate, in its own way, for the momentous things that have gone by in 2007.
Happy New Year, dear friends. May the new year be good, be prosperous and eventful - but above all, may it allow enough quiet to retreat to that small, inner space and be still.
Hair, bells, drifting. Just a few reflective doodles for a new year.
From the top of the room,
Ring them from the fortress
For the lilies that bloom
Oh the lines are long
And the fighting is strong
And they're breaking down the distance
Between right and wrong...
I could never remember any other verse to this song when I was younger (Bob Dylan, and I heard it covered by First Call eons ago). Ring them bells St. Catherine - maybe it was just the resonance of the syllables. Either way, it was an achingly beautiful refrain I never managed to quite forget, and now some fifteen years later, I remember it again. Driftwood of the mind, ripples and reflections of truths seen dimly in mirrors.
Appropriate, in its own way, for the momentous things that have gone by in 2007.
Happy New Year, dear friends. May the new year be good, be prosperous and eventful - but above all, may it allow enough quiet to retreat to that small, inner space and be still.
Hair, bells, drifting. Just a few reflective doodles for a new year.
Saturday, December 08, 2007
Rocks, Geology, and Alabaster
Sometimes, epiphany takes getting whacked on the head with the clue stick and the absolute obvious. Normally, this happens in the shower. At least, for me. The only answer I have for why this is so, is that my muse, Poggy the Green Hamster, lurks in the darkest recesses of my bathroom. Given there aren't any darkest recesses in my bathroom bar the cistern and the sink, the how remains an unknown factor and I'm happy to leave it that way. Really. Safer not to ask why.
Today's epiphany took the form of realizing that it's been far too long since I did any form of art at all for fun. I mean, sketching and all IS fun, don't get me wrong, but doing a piece, however crappy, for the sheer joy of it -- erm. I can't even remember when. And given I've been so caught up with costume designs, sketching practice, observation practice, art for a purpose...being frivolous suddenly seemed like a real good idea.
One particular personal project that I've been researching has been to do with alabaster. At least, it was the inspiration for playing with textures and colours and trying to do something with puddles of light. She suddenly turned in quite another direction from where I originally thought I wanted her to go, but if looking at her reminds you of something like lamps and puddles of light, then I got what I wanted.
It does remind me that I've always sucked at anatomy and I really -should- study it but I've no idea how.
And I have no idea why she kept insisting she be called Alabaster either. Next time they say 'Go explore uncharted territory', I should warn them that the inside of my head is a dangerous place.
Today's epiphany took the form of realizing that it's been far too long since I did any form of art at all for fun. I mean, sketching and all IS fun, don't get me wrong, but doing a piece, however crappy, for the sheer joy of it -- erm. I can't even remember when. And given I've been so caught up with costume designs, sketching practice, observation practice, art for a purpose...being frivolous suddenly seemed like a real good idea.
One particular personal project that I've been researching has been to do with alabaster. At least, it was the inspiration for playing with textures and colours and trying to do something with puddles of light. She suddenly turned in quite another direction from where I originally thought I wanted her to go, but if looking at her reminds you of something like lamps and puddles of light, then I got what I wanted.
It does remind me that I've always sucked at anatomy and I really -should- study it but I've no idea how.
And I have no idea why she kept insisting she be called Alabaster either. Next time they say 'Go explore uncharted territory', I should warn them that the inside of my head is a dangerous place.
Thursday, November 22, 2007
The Triumphant Return of Molly 'Guppy' McBass and Other Misdemeanours
First, the news everyone's been asking about:
WE WON A SILVER! WE WON A SILVER!
The category that we were in, the Asian Open, has no medals - they just have diplomas, and there are 10 categories to each diploma. So we had a Silver V, which, considering we have been practicing for just 17 sessions for this (just over a month after our production ended), is good enough for us at this point!
One of the other choirs that took part from Malaysia - the Dithyrambic Singers - did the entire country proud by taking the Gold in the Asian Championships for the Contemporary Music category. We went -nuts- cheering and waving the flags we'd brought, and hearing the national anthem being played like that was just...an experience I wouldn't have missed for the world. Never thought I was that much of a patriot but apparently competitions like this just bring it out in everyone!
Secondly: I've been absent for longer than expected because EVERYONE came home with a parting gift from Indonesia - the flu. I've never been this sick for ages; it's been almost 2 weeks and I'm practically the new choir bass at the moment. I -did- manage to take some 80+ photos in Jakarta but I haven't uploaded them yet - I will though at some point and toss them up.
So in order to play catch-up (and inspired by Marcos, Marcelo, Armand and Paul Lasaine's -gorgeous- work over the past few days), here's a snippet of the stuff I managed to sketch while being indoors with the competition choirs just about every day. The selection here is an entire afternoon's worth of choirs who competed in the Musica Sacra and the Mixed Vocal Ensemble categories; they were back to back in the same hall. If you're wondering why I was sketching when I was supposed to be listening to the choirs, well - a) after a while you do get sleepy when there are such lovely soothing songs b) I'm a lousy photographer at that distance.
The pink scribbles are fairly self-explanatory for each of the choirs; their costumes, I must admit, were -fabulous-. For larger images, click on the picture.
Maznur Chorale Kupang had an eye-boggling array of traditional costumes; this was only two of the many they were dressed in. I had to pick and choose -quick- before they finished singing their 4 songs and went off-stage.
WE WON A SILVER! WE WON A SILVER!
The category that we were in, the Asian Open, has no medals - they just have diplomas, and there are 10 categories to each diploma. So we had a Silver V, which, considering we have been practicing for just 17 sessions for this (just over a month after our production ended), is good enough for us at this point!
One of the other choirs that took part from Malaysia - the Dithyrambic Singers - did the entire country proud by taking the Gold in the Asian Championships for the Contemporary Music category. We went -nuts- cheering and waving the flags we'd brought, and hearing the national anthem being played like that was just...an experience I wouldn't have missed for the world. Never thought I was that much of a patriot but apparently competitions like this just bring it out in everyone!
Secondly: I've been absent for longer than expected because EVERYONE came home with a parting gift from Indonesia - the flu. I've never been this sick for ages; it's been almost 2 weeks and I'm practically the new choir bass at the moment. I -did- manage to take some 80+ photos in Jakarta but I haven't uploaded them yet - I will though at some point and toss them up.
So in order to play catch-up (and inspired by Marcos, Marcelo, Armand and Paul Lasaine's -gorgeous- work over the past few days), here's a snippet of the stuff I managed to sketch while being indoors with the competition choirs just about every day. The selection here is an entire afternoon's worth of choirs who competed in the Musica Sacra and the Mixed Vocal Ensemble categories; they were back to back in the same hall. If you're wondering why I was sketching when I was supposed to be listening to the choirs, well - a) after a while you do get sleepy when there are such lovely soothing songs b) I'm a lousy photographer at that distance.
The pink scribbles are fairly self-explanatory for each of the choirs; their costumes, I must admit, were -fabulous-. For larger images, click on the picture.
Maznur Chorale Kupang had an eye-boggling array of traditional costumes; this was only two of the many they were dressed in. I had to pick and choose -quick- before they finished singing their 4 songs and went off-stage.
Sunday, November 04, 2007
Up Up And Away!
And I'm gone for the Asian Choir Games from 4th - 11th November, and thus netless!
See y'all in a week! And hopefully with good news...
See y'all in a week! And hopefully with good news...
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Shoot The Brain. It Won't Shut Up.
The problem with only having time to work on costume plots at night is that night goes into the early hours of the morning far too quickly for peace of mind.
Ergo, currently. It's 3.30am, I'm supposed to be up for a full day at about 8am, and my brain refuses to shut down because I started work on the costume plots for the Christmas play at about 12 midnight. I'd have done them earlier but I honestly didn't have time till after rehearsals tonight.
This is what I have for the general meeting tomorrow - a really off-the-wall eclectic mix of styles that include the last Dr. Who season with Christopher Eccleston, Babylon 5, Star Wars, Mad Max, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Gackt the Japanese rock star, the 5th Element, and Britain's SAS.
Yes, I'm mad, why do you ask?
This chap's a character design for a piece of writing. No, I don't know why I named him Tequila, but his sister's named Voodoo Vivaldi, so my brain must be in 'generating punk band names' mode already:
And now, dear heavens, I stumble off to try and SLEEP before I wake up like death warmed over...
Ergo, currently. It's 3.30am, I'm supposed to be up for a full day at about 8am, and my brain refuses to shut down because I started work on the costume plots for the Christmas play at about 12 midnight. I'd have done them earlier but I honestly didn't have time till after rehearsals tonight.
This is what I have for the general meeting tomorrow - a really off-the-wall eclectic mix of styles that include the last Dr. Who season with Christopher Eccleston, Babylon 5, Star Wars, Mad Max, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, Gackt the Japanese rock star, the 5th Element, and Britain's SAS.
Yes, I'm mad, why do you ask?
This chap's a character design for a piece of writing. No, I don't know why I named him Tequila, but his sister's named Voodoo Vivaldi, so my brain must be in 'generating punk band names' mode already:
And now, dear heavens, I stumble off to try and SLEEP before I wake up like death warmed over...
Friday, October 19, 2007
Fifteen Second Goldfish and Other Travellers' Tales
Taking the bus to get home from the city is like putting a goldfish out in the middle of the Autobahn and telling it to stay alive - and avoid getting run over. I have to take 2 buses to get home from work: I change off at one small, rickety-looking bus stop right smack at the side of a hellacious highway crossing and board the next sardine can to hell --I mean, highway to --well. You get the gist.
Yes, it's really that bad. There are people who can vouch for this, Constance being one of them.
I firmly believe that there is a Conspiracy afoot between the bus companies what own these trundling air-conditioned tin cans on wheels, and the corporations who build low-cost flats and condominiums. Actually, any sorts of flats or condominiums, really.
How many people can we squeeze into one of your buses? Don't worry about breathing or any amount of personal space...what's that? Oooh, 15 people standing only, not a problem, how many did you say you managed to fit in on top of 25 seated? 60 standing? Goodie! Make a note of that, Herman, for the next block of flats we're designing, we can afford to make 'em smaller with this sort of data as proof...
I have counted 60 people in a minibus designed to carry only 35 people. As I happened to be wedged under someone's armpit while the minibus in question was negotiating a 45 degree slope, I can put this down to personal experience. We won't go into the headache-inducing lovely smells that form a permanent part of these delightful character-building jaunts. I'm getting spasms just remembering this evening.
And the High Ups and City Councillations of Doom wonder why their campaign to Take Public Transportation and Save the Environment, Cut Down Traffic Jams, is about as effective as a limp sock being furiously shaken around by a rambunctious pup with bad breath.
***
Hullo there, I'm back after almost a month's absence, or so I've been reminded by a friend! There has been far too much going on in the Unseductive Real World, to whit, in point form:
1) The Big 5th Anniversary Concert - which went fantastically with 3 sold-out shows out of 5! And the best part of that was getting to meet the absolutely wonderful and lovely Constance who is even wonderfuller and lovelier in person. She is an amazingly talented artist, illustrator and a great writer to boot, go check out her site and fall in love. I promise you will!
2) New job - Yes, new job! I am now the administrator for the choral academy my choir sings under. And I'm loving it, despite being busy with copyright stuff for publishing scores, getting ready for the Asian Choir Games in November (which ain't that far off, eeeee), and handling a few last-minute gigs for the children's choir. I have access to pianos at work. I can practice the piano at work! How cool is that?
3) Post-apocalyptic costuming - Christmas is coming up and I'm costuming again. This time it's Post-apocalyptic 'Blade Runner Twelve Monkeys Dragon Tiger Gate Film Noir World' costuming and I'm actually excited about it. Hey. I get to watch movies I like while doing research. Mmmmmm. Movie night with my co-costumer! It's going to be a ton of work but it's also going to be just -great-. I can put some of the Cirque du Soleil style costuming tips to work in this one and be vastly wild and creative, which is lovely...
4) Writing - After being poked repeatedly by about 6 people, my brother included, I am slowly piecing together some writing that I might be able to throw at a publisher for consideration. I am terrified. It is not something I've ever had the guts to do but guts, glory, and lots of gore should provide entertainment for someone even if it's not me. I might need some test readers, should the time come around *cough cough cough*
5) Art - Nowhere as much of it as I should have, but for fun and to justify me keeping this blog, I present to you my latest two pieces: the Fifteen Second Goldfish and the Sushi Bar Lady.
This is pretty self-explanatory from the scribbled notes. I must add that these were the cutest, fattest goldfish I've seen in a while, orange and black, and they were too darned cute to resist pulling out the sketchbook for. (Yes I carry a sketchbook to dinner. Don't ask. I carry a sketchbook EVERYWHERE.) It's a great way to convince everyone you're insane, if they ever had any doubts. Also, fish swim really. Really. Fast.
I was at a cheap sushi place for dinner. This lady was sitting opposite me, so I tried to scribble her very quickly without being seen - in between spoonfuls of clam-and-tofu soup.
More to come later, I promise (yes Marcos, I didn't get eaten by the evil black hole what eats email and socks!)
Yes, it's really that bad. There are people who can vouch for this, Constance being one of them.
I firmly believe that there is a Conspiracy afoot between the bus companies what own these trundling air-conditioned tin cans on wheels, and the corporations who build low-cost flats and condominiums. Actually, any sorts of flats or condominiums, really.
How many people can we squeeze into one of your buses? Don't worry about breathing or any amount of personal space...what's that? Oooh, 15 people standing only, not a problem, how many did you say you managed to fit in on top of 25 seated? 60 standing? Goodie! Make a note of that, Herman, for the next block of flats we're designing, we can afford to make 'em smaller with this sort of data as proof...
I have counted 60 people in a minibus designed to carry only 35 people. As I happened to be wedged under someone's armpit while the minibus in question was negotiating a 45 degree slope, I can put this down to personal experience. We won't go into the headache-inducing lovely smells that form a permanent part of these delightful character-building jaunts. I'm getting spasms just remembering this evening.
And the High Ups and City Councillations of Doom wonder why their campaign to Take Public Transportation and Save the Environment, Cut Down Traffic Jams, is about as effective as a limp sock being furiously shaken around by a rambunctious pup with bad breath.
***
Hullo there, I'm back after almost a month's absence, or so I've been reminded by a friend! There has been far too much going on in the Unseductive Real World, to whit, in point form:
1) The Big 5th Anniversary Concert - which went fantastically with 3 sold-out shows out of 5! And the best part of that was getting to meet the absolutely wonderful and lovely Constance who is even wonderfuller and lovelier in person. She is an amazingly talented artist, illustrator and a great writer to boot, go check out her site and fall in love. I promise you will!
2) New job - Yes, new job! I am now the administrator for the choral academy my choir sings under. And I'm loving it, despite being busy with copyright stuff for publishing scores, getting ready for the Asian Choir Games in November (which ain't that far off, eeeee), and handling a few last-minute gigs for the children's choir. I have access to pianos at work. I can practice the piano at work! How cool is that?
3) Post-apocalyptic costuming - Christmas is coming up and I'm costuming again. This time it's Post-apocalyptic 'Blade Runner Twelve Monkeys Dragon Tiger Gate Film Noir World' costuming and I'm actually excited about it. Hey. I get to watch movies I like while doing research. Mmmmmm. Movie night with my co-costumer! It's going to be a ton of work but it's also going to be just -great-. I can put some of the Cirque du Soleil style costuming tips to work in this one and be vastly wild and creative, which is lovely...
4) Writing - After being poked repeatedly by about 6 people, my brother included, I am slowly piecing together some writing that I might be able to throw at a publisher for consideration. I am terrified. It is not something I've ever had the guts to do but guts, glory, and lots of gore should provide entertainment for someone even if it's not me. I might need some test readers, should the time come around *cough cough cough*
5) Art - Nowhere as much of it as I should have, but for fun and to justify me keeping this blog, I present to you my latest two pieces: the Fifteen Second Goldfish and the Sushi Bar Lady.
This is pretty self-explanatory from the scribbled notes. I must add that these were the cutest, fattest goldfish I've seen in a while, orange and black, and they were too darned cute to resist pulling out the sketchbook for. (Yes I carry a sketchbook to dinner. Don't ask. I carry a sketchbook EVERYWHERE.) It's a great way to convince everyone you're insane, if they ever had any doubts. Also, fish swim really. Really. Fast.
I was at a cheap sushi place for dinner. This lady was sitting opposite me, so I tried to scribble her very quickly without being seen - in between spoonfuls of clam-and-tofu soup.
More to come later, I promise (yes Marcos, I didn't get eaten by the evil black hole what eats email and socks!)
Thursday, September 20, 2007
Fleur, Concert, Concert, and CONCERT!
Meet Miss Fleur, everyone.
Doesn't she look sweet? Such a lovely shade of in-vogue shocking pink too - Elsa Schiaparelli apparently made that the in-colour in the 1930s! I spent a bit of time putting her outfit together for her lovely escort, who's taking her to his film noir themed university ball tomorrow evening. I'll admit it's the first time I've ever put together a coordinated anything for a pink feline, but I love Fleur and it was -large- amounts of fun. She'll be the belle of the ball, I swear - the flash was a bit bright in the photo but I wanted to catch the purple-and-silver marabou trim I found her. I had feathers all over my room after getting her wrapped up in that, but it was WORTH every bit of it.
Hello everyone, yes, I've been absent forever it seems! This, however, promises to be the eventual fruit of our choir's labours (click on it for the larger view):
Dates
27th to 29th September 2007 - 8.30pm
29th September 2007 - Charity Matinee, 3.00pm
30th September 2007 - 3.00pm
More of a proper update soon - namely, Hell Week next week when we bump into the theatre space properly - but...FLEUR! CONCERT! BUSY!
Doesn't she look sweet? Such a lovely shade of in-vogue shocking pink too - Elsa Schiaparelli apparently made that the in-colour in the 1930s! I spent a bit of time putting her outfit together for her lovely escort, who's taking her to his film noir themed university ball tomorrow evening. I'll admit it's the first time I've ever put together a coordinated anything for a pink feline, but I love Fleur and it was -large- amounts of fun. She'll be the belle of the ball, I swear - the flash was a bit bright in the photo but I wanted to catch the purple-and-silver marabou trim I found her. I had feathers all over my room after getting her wrapped up in that, but it was WORTH every bit of it.
Hello everyone, yes, I've been absent forever it seems! This, however, promises to be the eventual fruit of our choir's labours (click on it for the larger view):
Dates
27th to 29th September 2007 - 8.30pm
29th September 2007 - Charity Matinee, 3.00pm
30th September 2007 - 3.00pm
Venue
The Actors Studio - Bangsar Shopping Centre
Jalan Maarof, Bukit Bandaraya
59100 Kuala Lumpur
Tickets
RM47 (middle seating) & RM32 (side seating) - Adults
RM32 - Children 12 years & below
Tel: 603 2094 0400 / 603 2094 1400
Email: tickets@theactorsstudio.com.my
Celebrity Fitness memberships worth RM1,000 to be won and 14-day FREE trial passes to be given out at every show!
More of a proper update soon - namely, Hell Week next week when we bump into the theatre space properly - but...FLEUR! CONCERT! BUSY!
Thursday, August 30, 2007
FREE AT LAST! FREE AT LAST!
I QUIT! I QUIT!
Oh. My. GOODNESS. It feels so wonderful...
More updates and news later but in the meantime: FREE AT LAST! FREE AT LAST! THANK GOD I'M FREE AT LAST!
And just for memory's sake, here's some last moments in the operation room a week ago, trying not to freeze to death in there, and all I had was a ball point pen:
My boss doing an open case. He moved too fast for me to finish it so it's half-past-six, as they say...
Tomorrow? I'm sleeping in! WOOO!
Oh. My. GOODNESS. It feels so wonderful...
More updates and news later but in the meantime: FREE AT LAST! FREE AT LAST! THANK GOD I'M FREE AT LAST!
And just for memory's sake, here's some last moments in the operation room a week ago, trying not to freeze to death in there, and all I had was a ball point pen:
My boss doing an open case. He moved too fast for me to finish it so it's half-past-six, as they say...
Tomorrow? I'm sleeping in! WOOO!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Candle, Candle, In the Night
Somehow, Mr. Murphy of Murphy's Law fame always finds me just when I think life will be a -bit- more settled...
One of the things he sent along last week was a blackout that lasted about an hour in weather that could easily steam wrinkles out a shirt, humidity-wise. Not that the heat was far behind either.
So I decided to be productive, as I've been artistically -barren- for a few weeks and that always puts me in a bad, bad mood. Or at least as productive as weather a fish wouldn't feel out of place in would allow. And that's the thumbnail below:
Lamps
We had a candle on the glass table outside; the reflection was too good to pass up. Now if only I could remember my exposures from film class...
One of the things he sent along last week was a blackout that lasted about an hour in weather that could easily steam wrinkles out a shirt, humidity-wise. Not that the heat was far behind either.
So I decided to be productive, as I've been artistically -barren- for a few weeks and that always puts me in a bad, bad mood. Or at least as productive as weather a fish wouldn't feel out of place in would allow. And that's the thumbnail below:
Lamps
We had a candle on the glass table outside; the reflection was too good to pass up. Now if only I could remember my exposures from film class...
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Saddle Up Your Horses...
...we've gotta trail to blaze. Or so go the words to Steven Curtis Chapman's 'Great Adventure' but at any rate, I've been saddling up for a great many things happening, hence the abrupt absence. Many apologies! Didn't mean to worry people...
Summary of events as follows: Choir rehearsals, chamber choir rehearsals, concert rehearsals and rehearsals and rehearsals and food poisoning and rehearsals and work and back spasms and agony and stress and rehearsals...you get the point. I'm out every night for practices of some sort or another! But this should slow down after this week when my performance on the 30th is over.
Speaking of which! Constance! Just for you, here is the information on when the next performance is!
The Rojak Interludes: A Night of Original Compositions
with Suk Yin, Tammie and Max
featuring not just alternative rock songs but also blues, swing, funky pop, and all that jazz…
TIME: June 30th, 8pm
VENUE: Young Choral Association
114A Jln. Burhanuddin
Taman Tun Dr. Ismail
60000 KL
(Same row as CIMB bank, above Star Enterprises stationary shop)
ADMISSION: Donation RM10
Would love to see people there; it's my debut as a main performer! I am Scared. This is a fact. I'm still trying to finish writing one of the four songs we're each singing...
And because I feel terribly guilty about not having sketched a -whole- lot during this mind-destroyingly stressed period, I attempted to rectify this today by trying to draw Sergeant Frederick 'Saint' Jackson and Corporal Dayang Suleika Tangywn Hafiz. I've nicknamed them the Adrenaline Junkies, because for them, a -good- date means going landboarding till one of them (Suleika likely) falls off from the vibration and bounces on the tarmac a bit, or dropping out of parachutes from High Altitudes. It's rough, and it's not good, but it's a -start-:
Now to try and relax so my back doesn't -spasm- so badly I have to lie down...
PS: Surf's Up is OUT in theatres here! *cheers* Guess what I'm planning to go see when I have a spare moment!
Summary of events as follows: Choir rehearsals, chamber choir rehearsals, concert rehearsals and rehearsals and rehearsals and food poisoning and rehearsals and work and back spasms and agony and stress and rehearsals...you get the point. I'm out every night for practices of some sort or another! But this should slow down after this week when my performance on the 30th is over.
Speaking of which! Constance! Just for you, here is the information on when the next performance is!
The Rojak Interludes: A Night of Original Compositions
with Suk Yin, Tammie and Max
featuring not just alternative rock songs but also blues, swing, funky pop, and all that jazz…
TIME: June 30th, 8pm
VENUE: Young Choral Association
114A Jln. Burhanuddin
Taman Tun Dr. Ismail
60000 KL
(Same row as CIMB bank, above Star Enterprises stationary shop)
ADMISSION: Donation RM10
Would love to see people there; it's my debut as a main performer! I am Scared. This is a fact. I'm still trying to finish writing one of the four songs we're each singing...
And because I feel terribly guilty about not having sketched a -whole- lot during this mind-destroyingly stressed period, I attempted to rectify this today by trying to draw Sergeant Frederick 'Saint' Jackson and Corporal Dayang Suleika Tangywn Hafiz. I've nicknamed them the Adrenaline Junkies, because for them, a -good- date means going landboarding till one of them (Suleika likely) falls off from the vibration and bounces on the tarmac a bit, or dropping out of parachutes from High Altitudes. It's rough, and it's not good, but it's a -start-:
Now to try and relax so my back doesn't -spasm- so badly I have to lie down...
PS: Surf's Up is OUT in theatres here! *cheers* Guess what I'm planning to go see when I have a spare moment!
Thursday, May 10, 2007
The Artistic Brainworm
...is one that absolutely -refuses- to allow you to go to sleep until you've sketched that tantalizingly fascinating pose on the PoseMania site, and done a chibi (super deformed Japanese overly cute style of drawing) caricature of Whisper in the Deep Shadows.
And it's 4am on a workday.
I really, really shouldn't encourage my mind to do that but over the years I've gotten accustomed, to paraphrase part of My Fair Lady.
That being said, since my brain isn't listening to me when I demand that it give me the rest of the two new songs I'm writing --wait, what am I talking about, my brain never listens to me -regardless-. This is going to worry me because June 30th, apparently there's a singer-songwriter recital and I'm going to be one of the singer-songwriters featured - just got asked this morning if I was interested.
So like a total numbskull I said SURE I am! Let me know! 1st of June Choral Festival performance, 11th August Acapella Festival competition, and Jakarta practices not withstanding...
La dee dum dum da. I'm a masochist, I am. I have absolute confirmation of that now.
While I beat my brain into some form of failed submission, here's this (very early) morning's work:
Study for Oracle kneeling, and if she looks like she's floating, she may very well be...
Random Pose of the Day on PoseMania. A lot shorter timewise than the above, which was about 15 minutes (and that's too long.) This was 5 or so, even with pencil outlines. Maybe a little less even!
And it's 4am on a workday.
I really, really shouldn't encourage my mind to do that but over the years I've gotten accustomed, to paraphrase part of My Fair Lady.
That being said, since my brain isn't listening to me when I demand that it give me the rest of the two new songs I'm writing --wait, what am I talking about, my brain never listens to me -regardless-. This is going to worry me because June 30th, apparently there's a singer-songwriter recital and I'm going to be one of the singer-songwriters featured - just got asked this morning if I was interested.
So like a total numbskull I said SURE I am! Let me know! 1st of June Choral Festival performance, 11th August Acapella Festival competition, and Jakarta practices not withstanding...
La dee dum dum da. I'm a masochist, I am. I have absolute confirmation of that now.
While I beat my brain into some form of failed submission, here's this (very early) morning's work:
Study for Oracle kneeling, and if she looks like she's floating, she may very well be...
Random Pose of the Day on PoseMania. A lot shorter timewise than the above, which was about 15 minutes (and that's too long.) This was 5 or so, even with pencil outlines. Maybe a little less even!
Monday, May 07, 2007
Hipy Papy Bthudththudh!
...and that's A Very Happy Birthday in Commonspeak for the rest of everyone!
Happy birthday to my brother! He's spunky, talented, a -kick-ass- drummer and audio engineer/producer, good-looking, and one of the people I admire most in the whole wide world.
Have a great day, bro --about time you had something -good- happen to you and I am SO GLAD you got that Tama Masai!
Love,
Sis, with a promise of More Things Later.
Happy birthday to my brother! He's spunky, talented, a -kick-ass- drummer and audio engineer/producer, good-looking, and one of the people I admire most in the whole wide world.
Have a great day, bro --about time you had something -good- happen to you and I am SO GLAD you got that Tama Masai!
Love,
Sis, with a promise of More Things Later.
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
The Curse of the Abyssal Heights
How in the world can a choke hold be so difficult to draw?
More specifically, when the person -giving- the choke hold is a few inches shorter than the intended victim - every picture reference I've Googled around for generally has the choke hold giver as -taller- than the poor chap they're trying to suffocate.
Times like this, I'm convinced I really, really don't know how to draw and should go for some classes one day but they'd probably toss me out for knowing -no- theory at all. Thankfully, I did find two photographs to sort of play around poses with, or I'd be sunk.
The subjects of the entire sketching rigmarole are two Abyssal characters for a random Exalted game a friend and I are playing - his is named Whisper of the Deep Shadow, and mine is the Pale Oracle of Dry Bones, known as the Pale Rider to everyone else. Oracle is taller than Shadow, and there was one instance where, on their first meeting, he sneaked up behind her and got her in a choke hold. Accursed height differences!
Anyway --here they are. I'm not proud of how long it took, but in the past I'd never even have been able to pull something like that off with any reasonable amount of success, photo references or not. So that's something I'm very thankful for - artistic improvement!
(Yeah I know. Two posts in one day. Miracle! Well, also, it's a public holiday. That's what I do on public holidays - nothing of consequence AT ALL. RAH!)
More specifically, when the person -giving- the choke hold is a few inches shorter than the intended victim - every picture reference I've Googled around for generally has the choke hold giver as -taller- than the poor chap they're trying to suffocate.
Times like this, I'm convinced I really, really don't know how to draw and should go for some classes one day but they'd probably toss me out for knowing -no- theory at all. Thankfully, I did find two photographs to sort of play around poses with, or I'd be sunk.
The subjects of the entire sketching rigmarole are two Abyssal characters for a random Exalted game a friend and I are playing - his is named Whisper of the Deep Shadow, and mine is the Pale Oracle of Dry Bones, known as the Pale Rider to everyone else. Oracle is taller than Shadow, and there was one instance where, on their first meeting, he sneaked up behind her and got her in a choke hold. Accursed height differences!
Anyway --here they are. I'm not proud of how long it took, but in the past I'd never even have been able to pull something like that off with any reasonable amount of success, photo references or not. So that's something I'm very thankful for - artistic improvement!
(Yeah I know. Two posts in one day. Miracle! Well, also, it's a public holiday. That's what I do on public holidays - nothing of consequence AT ALL. RAH!)
Passport Office Serenade
And she emerges from the buried depths of the slough of days and stress. With a mallet of doom. And a shield called 'ALL STRESS MUST DIE!' and a sword named 'GO AWAY IF YOU DON'T NEED IT NOW'...
It -has- been a horribly stressy and busy month, with work taking up the biggest chunk of it, and choir and chamber choir coming in a close second - but those are RELAXING busy chunks of it. Our first chamber choir performance will be end of May now (Constance! I'll give you a date when I remember it!) and then the acapella competition got pushed up to August 11th --and then June is the vocal student recital I'm supposed to take part in, July is -my- co-recital with one of our tenors, and November is Asian Choir Games in Jakarta...
Yeah! Breaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaathe. Zombie shuffle. Breaaaaaaaaaaaaaaathe!
We're in the process of booking flight tickets for the Asian Choir Games, and since booking flight tickets to Jakarta on Air Asia now requires a passport number, I took the day off Monday this week to go perch in Purgatory *cough* --I mean, the wet market *COUGH COUGH* --I MEAN the passport office to get it seen to. There's inevitably a line outside the door even before it opens at 8am, so I was advised to go there early to avoid too long a queue. That would mean waking up at 6-ish, getting out of the house latest by 7am, and voila, things ought to be a little less harried.
So of COURSE, I overslept.
The sight of a woman blurrily looking at her alarm clock, giving a SCREECH to rival all the banshees in every castle in Europe and leaping out of bed like someone poured pink paint on her hair was probably highly amusing for anyone looking in from the outside. I think I got out the door in a record 10 minutes, give or take some for finding my keys and cursing how long it took to get the padlock on the front door open.
The passport office resembled a fishmarket with queues enough to go around the world circumference and still have room to spare. And more people were arriving, and there is only so much space in the world, however big an office is built, to accomodate JUST so many people.
And this was only 8.45am.
It's possible to get one's passport here done in 2 hours after you make payment, so the process is actually very -fast-. It's the -waiting- time and the lining up that takes forever and many braincells dying.
So what do you do when you're stuck in the simmering, muttering, wet-market atmosphere of a million bodies all grousing about wanting to pick up their travel documents fast?
If you're me, you pull out the mp3 player, the choir scores, and treat the people sitting around you to the glorious strains of 'Oklahoma' - specifically the screechy soprano special chorus section at the end. Or the tongue-twistingly fast Mongolian Horses. Or 'Caro Mio Ben' (Ale, that's the name of that Italian song I'm singing now!)...you get the picture.
And after that? In revenge for all the crankiness being sent your way, you blithely pull out a sketch pad and sketch the CRANKIEST section in the waiting room. Ignoring the -glares- sent your way.
Mind you, I was impressed. The officials were so very nice and helpful and cheerful despite the awful crush of people. It's the people they were -serving- that were grumpy and irritable.
Anyway to cut a long story short, 3.45pm I got my passport, hauled my butt home, and went to choir rehearsals till midnight.
But that's another story.
And here are the sketches to prove it (no, they're not great, but I was BORED...)
It -has- been a horribly stressy and busy month, with work taking up the biggest chunk of it, and choir and chamber choir coming in a close second - but those are RELAXING busy chunks of it. Our first chamber choir performance will be end of May now (Constance! I'll give you a date when I remember it!) and then the acapella competition got pushed up to August 11th --and then June is the vocal student recital I'm supposed to take part in, July is -my- co-recital with one of our tenors, and November is Asian Choir Games in Jakarta...
Yeah! Breaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaathe. Zombie shuffle. Breaaaaaaaaaaaaaaathe!
We're in the process of booking flight tickets for the Asian Choir Games, and since booking flight tickets to Jakarta on Air Asia now requires a passport number, I took the day off Monday this week to go perch in Purgatory *cough* --I mean, the wet market *COUGH COUGH* --I MEAN the passport office to get it seen to. There's inevitably a line outside the door even before it opens at 8am, so I was advised to go there early to avoid too long a queue. That would mean waking up at 6-ish, getting out of the house latest by 7am, and voila, things ought to be a little less harried.
So of COURSE, I overslept.
The sight of a woman blurrily looking at her alarm clock, giving a SCREECH to rival all the banshees in every castle in Europe and leaping out of bed like someone poured pink paint on her hair was probably highly amusing for anyone looking in from the outside. I think I got out the door in a record 10 minutes, give or take some for finding my keys and cursing how long it took to get the padlock on the front door open.
The passport office resembled a fishmarket with queues enough to go around the world circumference and still have room to spare. And more people were arriving, and there is only so much space in the world, however big an office is built, to accomodate JUST so many people.
And this was only 8.45am.
It's possible to get one's passport here done in 2 hours after you make payment, so the process is actually very -fast-. It's the -waiting- time and the lining up that takes forever and many braincells dying.
So what do you do when you're stuck in the simmering, muttering, wet-market atmosphere of a million bodies all grousing about wanting to pick up their travel documents fast?
If you're me, you pull out the mp3 player, the choir scores, and treat the people sitting around you to the glorious strains of 'Oklahoma' - specifically the screechy soprano special chorus section at the end. Or the tongue-twistingly fast Mongolian Horses. Or 'Caro Mio Ben' (Ale, that's the name of that Italian song I'm singing now!)...you get the picture.
And after that? In revenge for all the crankiness being sent your way, you blithely pull out a sketch pad and sketch the CRANKIEST section in the waiting room. Ignoring the -glares- sent your way.
Mind you, I was impressed. The officials were so very nice and helpful and cheerful despite the awful crush of people. It's the people they were -serving- that were grumpy and irritable.
Anyway to cut a long story short, 3.45pm I got my passport, hauled my butt home, and went to choir rehearsals till midnight.
But that's another story.
And here are the sketches to prove it (no, they're not great, but I was BORED...)
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